Board meeting agenda template
More is on the board agenda than ever before — geopolitical risk, economic uncertainty, technological advances and opportunities to boost competitiveness. The premise behind the design of a board agenda is to set up the meeting so that the board has time to conduct its routine business and also allow time to address these increasingly urgent matters. Board meeting agenda templates are designed to accommodate it all.
Boards have much to accomplish in a short period of time. A well-structured agenda is the board chair’s best friend because the agenda prioritizes discussion items, limits the amount of time for discussion, and helps the board chair keep things on track and moving. Here, we’ll explain:
- Who sets the board meeting agenda
- How the board chair can use a board meeting agenda template
- The best format for a meeting agenda
- Sample board meeting agenda templates for general meetings, strategic planning and more
Who sets the board meeting agenda?
The board chair is ultimately responsible for setting the agenda for the board meeting. However, they don’t develop the new agenda in a vacuum.
The board chair and the secretary consult with management about any follow-ups from the previous meeting and any new or emerging items for discussion. The board secretary also usually requests the rest of the board for any items they’d like the chair to consider adding to the agenda, along with their reasons for the request.
After consulting with the board chair, the secretary adds new items to unfinished items from the previous agenda. All items on the agenda should fall into one of two categories: information or action. Information items are self-explanatory. They are intended to provide information to the board. Examples of information items are financial reports, executive summaries, committee reports, audit reports, and anything else informative.
How the board chair uses a board agenda template
The board chair uses a board agenda template to structure the meeting. The chair may set some time limits for action items that may require much discussion before the discussion ensues. For example, the chair may allow 10 minutes for fact gathering, 15 minutes for discussion and 10 minutes to reach a consensus for decision-making. The vote on the item is complete, and the chair is ready to move on to the next item.
The board chair has the challenge of estimating how much time each agenda item will take. This step helps the board chair keep the meeting time within a reasonable limit and manage discussions that veer off track or get out of control.
The first topic at the onset of the meeting should be reviewing and modifying the agenda as needed. New or late-breaking developments can require a change to the agenda, so the board chair will want to ask the board if they accept the agenda as written or if they need any additional items.
What is the best format for a meeting agenda?
The best format for a meeting agenda depends on the meeting’s purpose and audience. A strategic planning meeting will require a slightly different agenda than the annual general meeting. However, most agendas will have core sections in common. These include:
- Meeting details, like date, time, location and attendees
- Meeting objectives that state the purpose of the meeting
- Agenda items with specific topics for discussion
- Schedule of events with times allocated to each agenda item
- Action items from previous meetings
- Next steps and assignments for what board members will need to follow up on
- Closing, which summarizes key decisions
Board meeting agenda templates
The secretary is responsible for distributing a copy of the final agenda to all pertinent parties before the meeting. The board chair must also review the final agenda and consider how much time to allocate to each portion.
Now that you know all the tips and tricks for developing a productive agenda, here’s a board meeting agenda template for what it looks like on paper:
The Standard Consulting Company, Inc.
123 Main St.
Anytown, USA
Date:
Time:
Location:
Call to order
1. Facilitator: [Board chair name]
2. Confirm quorum is present
Welcome and introductions
1. Brief introductions of new members or guests
Approval of agenda
1. Review and approve the meeting agenda
Approval of minutes
1. Review and approve the previous meeting’s minutes
2. Reference: [Attach or link minutes]
Reports
1. CEO report
2. Finance report
3. Committee reports
Discussion items
1. Topic 1: [Insert brief description]
a. Presenter: [Insert name]
b. Resource: [Attach or link documents]
2. Topic 2: [Insert brief description]
a. Presenter: [Insert name]
b. Resource: [Attach or link documents]
3. Topic 3: [Insert brief description]
a. Presenter: [Insert name]
b. Resource: [Attach or link documents]
Action items
1. Item 1: [Motion to approve…]
a. Presenter: [Name]
b. Supporting materials: [Attach or link documents]
2. Item 2: [Motion to approve…]
a. Presenter: [Name]
b. Supporting materials: [Attach or link documents]
Key discussions
1. [Topic for long-term organizational planning or critical issue discussion.]
New business
1. Open floor for board members to bring up new topics or proposals.
Recap and next steps
1. Summarize decisions
2. Assign action items and responsibilities
Adjournment
1. Confirm next meeting date: [Insert date/time]
Attachments
1. Previous meeting minutes
2. Financial reports
3. Supporting documents
Note: This is a template that board chairs can easily modify at any juncture. A quarterly board agenda may look different. It should reflect quarterly operations, quarterly financials and other quarterly operational reports to aid the board in its fiduciary duties.
Quarterly board meeting agenda template
The Standard Consulting Company, Inc.
123 Main St.
Anytown, USA
Date:
Time:
Location:
Call to order
1. Facilitator: [Board chair name]
2. Confirm quorum is present
Welcome and opening remarks
1. Board chair welcomes members and reviews meeting objectives
Approval of agenda
1. Review and approve the meeting agenda
Approval of minutes
1. Review and approve the previous meeting’s minutes
2. Reference: [Attach or link minutes]
Executive summary
1. CEO provides high-level updates on key developments, challenges and opportunities
Financial review
1. Topic 1: Quarterly financial performance
a. Presenter: [Insert name]
b. Resource: [Attach or link documents]
2. Topic 2: Key trends and projections
a. Presenter: [Insert name]
b. Resource: [Attach or link documents]
Committee reports
1. [Committee name]: Updates, progress, any motions for appeal
a. Presenter: [Name]
b. Supporting materials: [Attach or link documents]
2. [Committee name]: Updates, progress, any motions for appeal
a. Presenter: [Name]
b. Supporting materials: [Attach or link documents]
Strategic discussions
1. [Topic for long-term organizational planning or critical issue discussion.]
Key action items and/or resolutions
1. [Item 1: Description of action item or motion]
2. [Item 2: Description of action item or motion]
New business
1. Opportunity for board members to raise new issues or ideas.
Next quarter preview
1. Summarize decisions
2. Preview upcoming priorities, events or deadlines
Adjournment
1. Confirm next meeting date: [Insert date/time]
Attachments
1. Previous meeting minutes
2. Financial reports
Annual board meeting agenda template
The Standard Consulting Company, Inc.
123 Main St.
Anytown, USA
Date:
Time:
Location:
Call to order
1. Facilitator: [Board chair name]
2. Confirm quorum is present
Welcome and opening remarks
1. Board chair welcomes members and reviews meeting objectives
Approval of agenda
1. Review and approve the meeting agenda
Approval of minutes
1. Review and approve the previous meeting’s minutes
2. Reference: [Attach or link minutes]
Year-in-review
1. CEO report
2. Committee highlights
3. Financial performance
a. Annual financial report
b. Presenter: [CFO name]
c. Supporting materials: [Attach or link financial statements or audits]
Strategic plan update
1. Review progress on strategic goals
2. Discuss areas for growth or adjustment
3. Supporting materials: [Attach or link to strategic plan updates or assessments]
Governance and board business
1. Election of officers and new members
a. Review nominations and conduct voting
2. Board assessments
a. Review board performance year-over-year
3. Policy updates and amendments
a. Review and discuss changes to bylaws, policies and procedures
Annual goals and priorities
1. Outline the year’s organizational objectives
2. Discuss focus areas and initiatives
Recognition and appreciation
1. Recognize the contributions of outgoing board members and staff
2. Celebrate organizational achievements
New business
1. Opportunity for board members to raise new issues or ideas.
Adjournment
1. Confirm next meeting date: [Insert date/time]
Attachments
1. Previous annual meeting minutes
2. Financial reports and audit results
3. Strategic plan updates
4. Committee reports
5. Proposed bylaws or policy changes
6. Calendar for upcoming board meetings
Strategic planning agenda template
The Standard Consulting Company, Inc.
123 Main St.
Anytown, USA
Date:
Time:
Location:
Call to order
1. Facilitator: [Board chair name]
2. Confirm quorum is present
Welcome and meeting objectives
1. Board chair sets the tone for the meeting
2. Objectives:
a. Reflect on past performance
b. Identify key priorities
c. Set goals for the organization’s future
Review of current strategic plan and progress
1. CEO update
2. Committee/department updates
3. Supporting materials: [Attach or link previous strategic plan and progress report]
Environmental scan
1. Landscape analysis
2. Stakeholder input
3. Reference: [Attach reports or data summaries]
SWOT analysis
1. Group session to assess:
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. Opportunities
d. Threats
Strategic priorities discussion
1. Guiding questions:
a. What are our top priorities for the next three to five years?
b. How can we align resources with these priorities?
c. What metrics could we use to measure success?
2. Supporting materials: [Attach draft priorities for discussion]
Goal setting
1. Goal 1: [Define specific, measurable goal]
2. Goal 2: [Define specific, measurable goal]
3. Goal 3: [Define specific, measurable goal]
Action items
1. Discuss timelines, responsibilities and resources to achieve strategic goals
2. Identify potential risks and mitigation strategies
Adjournment
1. Confirm next meeting date: [Insert date/time]
Attachments
1. Previous strategic plan and progress report
2. Stakeholder feedback summary
3. SWOT analysis summary
4. Draft strategic priorities
5. Proposed timeline for full strategic plan development
Building the best board agenda template
Boards that struggle with developing their agendas or meetings that run way over the allotted time might consider ending their meetings with a Plus Delta evaluation. A Plus Delta is a process for boards to assess what they are doing well and where they need to improve. A Plus Delta evaluation frames questions from a positive perspective to incite collaboration and group problem-solving about streamlining and improving board meetings. It’s usually a simple tool comprised of a few short questions, such as:
- Did you have enough time to discuss each agenda item?
- Did you receive your board packet early enough to review it?
- Did the board chair allow discussion from many perspectives?
- Did the meeting flow smoothly from one item to another?
- Did the board chair manage the meeting time well?
A master meeting agenda template is an effective starting point for developing an agenda, but boards should always consider the agenda a work in progress. The board secretary, in conjunction with the board chair, should continually work to improve the flow of meetings.
Create stronger meeting agendas — faster
Some of the board’s biggest moments happen in the board room. Agendas are the unsung heroes of that work, directing the board’s time and energy toward the organization’s most critical issues. While board meeting agenda templates are essential to simplify meeting preparation, manually creating agendas can quickly become cumbersome.
Monthly, quarterly and annual board meetings each require distinct agendas, as do strategic planning meetings, committee meetings and more. Diligent Boards, part of the Diligent One Platform, includes an integrated agenda builder for faster and more effective agenda creation.
Learn more about Diligent Boards and how it can help you build responsive and collaborative board meeting agenda templates in a fraction of the time it takes to do manually.
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